Case Study: Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative reduces outage risk with Davey Resource Group inspections

Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative inspects 157 miles of feeder lines in 8 weeks with Davey

Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) sought to improve power reliability for its 166,000 members by proactively identifying line equipment at risk of failure. The utility partnered with Davey Resource Group (DRG), a Davey company, to launch a pilot inspection program using specialized handheld scanner technology.

Davey Resource Group crews used handheld scanners to inspect 157 miles of feeder lines, detecting abnormal heat and radio-frequency interference as early failure warnings. DRG analyzed the data alongside reliability metrics to provide SMECO with a prioritized maintenance list. This enabled SMECO to proactively schedule repairs and budget for replacements, preventing potential outages.

Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative